$20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project

[yang]

Could you please tell me which version, the M version or the K version, has a better measurement effect?

[Yuriy_K]

Could you please tell me which version, the M version or the K version, has a better measurement effect?

It all depends on the range of measurements you need for L, C, and ESR. Resistances are measured the same way.

[stj]

K can test crystals upto about 80% of the tester clockspeed,
M can test IR remotes by recieving and decoding the signals

there are probably other function differences too

one can test optocouplers but i cant remember which.

[Yuriy_K]

K can test crystals upto about 80% of the tester clockspeed,

I published a small modification that significantly expands the capabilities of quartz crystal measurement on k-firmware. Here's an example of measuring various resonators.

New firmware for this publication

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/$20-lcr-esr-transistor-checker-project/msg4882049/#msg4882049

[mnaevis]

I came to the conclusion that the only device where I could get a real 328 are the GM328 devices where you get the raw pcb without any casing - preferably with a DIP as the Chinese do not counterfeit them (though someone here also wrote that the newer version also has a real 328).

In the meantime I bought the offer linked below [1]. This is the "old" version (as stated in some offers) where on the picture from the bottom you can see the DIP soldering. I got the correct one, so it seems to still be sold.
Attached below is the board layout and the chip. It says "ATMEGA328P U, 2319AD4".
Software version: "1.12k". This offer did not come with the "calibration comb". 
I did no further testing.
Only caveat: the holes at the corners are so far near the edge that the remaining material is less than a mm, and at one hole the PCB broke away.


[1] https://aliexpress.com/item/1005007504014630.html

[Rupes]

I read though this thread from 2025 on. Such an interesting project.
It is hard to find a tester that has an actual ATMEGA328 microcontroller. I spent way too long looking, so I figured I would share what I found.

1) What looks to be the "GM328A" version. SMD components and ATMEGA328 in a DIP socket.
There is no way to know how accurate the components are. This is what I ended up ordering.
AliExpress link: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255800025507988.html (select Old English Version)

2) What looks to be the "M328Kit+TFT(AY-AT)" version in unsoldered kit form. Through-hole components.
It looks like the important resistors are 1% not 0.1%.
ebay link (USA): https://www.ebay.com/itm/184309121823
I don't know how accurate it is but someone put together a list of parts to bring the AY-AT up to spec which is at https://github.com/pk17r/Ultimate_Tester/blob/main/ComponentTester-1.54m/AY-AT-J1.3.png

The versions referenced above are from https://github.com/madires/Transistortester-Warehouse/blob/master/Documentation/English/Clone-Comparison-Chart.pdf

[yang]

I noticed that there is a constant current circuit at the location where the voltage stabilizing tube circuit is set up. Could you please explain what the function of this constant current is?

[at2marty]

I have a few questions about this project.  I have done a lot of reading and searching but still can't figure out where I am going wrong.

Several years ago I purchased this kit https://www.banggood.com/Original-Hiland-DIY-M12864-Graphics-Version-LCR-ESR-PWM-Transistor-Tester-Kit-p-986954.html?cur_warehouse=CN, assembled it and it has always done what I wanted it to do.  I decided a few days ago to 3D print a case for it and I figured I would update to the latest firmware (original version as shipped is 1.12k).

I have a spare 328p so I backed up the original firmware using AtmelStudio and also noted down what the fuse settings were.  I set the fuses on my spare 328p the same way, uploaded the hex and eep files that I backed up just to make sure everything was working as expected.

I downloaded the latest firmware from https://github.com/madires/Transistortester-Warehouse/tree/master/Firmware/m-firmware, and followed the instructions to build the firmware.  The display doesn't work correctly (contrast out of whack, not able to access the menu, some characters appear upside down, etc.) and the rotary switch doesn't seem to have any effect.

My first couple of questions.

The fuse settings from my original are as follows:

E = 0xFD
H = 0xDE
L = 0xFF

The fuse settings in the Makefile and as recommended are as follows:

E = 0xFC
H = 0xD9
L = 0xF7

I tried both settings and it didn't seem to make any difference.  Which settings should I use?

Second question.

I used the default graphical LCD settings (ST7565R) since I assumed that is what I have.  There are no markings on my LCD so I can't determine if my selection is correct.  Am I missing another setting somewhere?

I appreciate any thoughts and/or advice.

[madires]

Please try the settings for the 'M12864 DIY Transistor Tester' listed in the Clones file.

[at2marty]

Please try the settings for the 'M12864 DIY Transistor Tester' listed in the Clones file.

Thank you very much for the tip.  I didn't really notice or read the Clones file before.

As a follow up, which fuse settings should I use?  If I remember the "warning" that I got in AtmelStudio correctly, one of the settings has to do with the clock.

[madires]

The fuse settings from the Makefile are a bit more robust (E: lower BOD level, L: full swing crystal oscillator).

[at2marty]

Thanks very much to madires and others for pointing me in the right direction.  I was able to get my tester working with the latest firmware this morning.

One other note... I am a little embarrassed to admit that had I read the latest documentation I would have gotten most of my answers.

[stj]

did you upgrade the clock to 16 or 20MHz too?
i hope so

[bczupa]

I accidentally fried my old T7 tester so I've bought a new one and it totaly sucks, it is build on fake chip with low quality resistors so I decide to repair the old one.

After srv05-4 removal the LCD started but it is showing "Cell" measurment - the board consume about 120mA from external 5V power supply with MCU and once it was removed the consuption droped to 16mA , so I assume that all I need is to replace the MCU and program it.

Atmega1284-au is drop-in replacement for Atmega324p-20au in TQFP44 case.

Is there any reason why not to buy Atmega1284-au in TQFP44 case instead of Atmega324p-20au I had on my board (I can get Atmega1284-au for less and with 100% confidentiality it is geniue)

View of my board attached.

[stj]

the 644 or1284 are ideal replacements,
and a 20MHz crystal upgrade.

maybe this helps.
also, if you have the one with the large pushbutton then a rotary encoder can replace it very cleanly

[edgard22]

Buenas tardes a todos. Como un pequeño aporte para nuestro querido Transistor Tester envío estos simples editores de fuentes y símbolos. Cabe aclarar que es basico, traté de hacerlo lo mejor que pude. Quiero agradecer a 'madires' y a todos los que de alguna manera colaboran para mantener esto activo con mejoras constantes. 

Good afternoon everyone. As a small contribution to our beloved Transistor Tester, I'm sending these simple font and symbol editors. It's very basic, I tried my best. I want to thank 'madires' and everyone who contributes in some way to keeping this active with constant improvements.

[Yuriy_K]

I'm sending these simple font and symbol editors. It's very basic, I tried my best.

Everything is great, but there is a small correction to be made, and that is to move the "," back to its original position, as shown in the image...

[edgard22]

You're right, I forgot to update it. Now it's doing 'PATCH' instead of 'JOIN'. (Zip says v6 but editor says v5) 

[avr]

Hello

First of all: thank you very much to the developers of this project, it is enormously practical.

I'm trying to compile the M and K firmware for the circuit I've assembled but WinAVR is giving me a lot of problems, it always gives me a "Process Exit Code: 2" I'm using Windows 10 and can't compile it.

.
.
.
avr-gcc -mmcu=atmega328 -Wall -I. -Ibitmaps -DF_CPU=16000000UL -DOSC_STARTUP=16384 -gdwarf-2 -std=gnu99 -Os -mcall-prologues -funsigned-char -funsigned-bitfields -fpack-struct -fshort-enums -MD -MP -MT wait.o -MF dep/wait.o.d -c wait.S
avr-gcc -mmcu=atmega328 -Wl,-Map=ComponentTester.map main.o user.o pause.o adjust.o ADC.o probes.o display.o resistor.o cap.o semi.o inductor.o tools_misc.o tools_signal.o tools_counter.o tools_LC_Meter.o SPI.o I2C.o serial.o commands.o OneWire.o IR_RX.o IR_TX.o DHTxx.o ADS7843.o MAX6675.o MAX31855.o BH1750.o INA226.o HD44780.o ILI9163.o ILI9341.o ILI9481.o ILI9486.o ILI9488.o PCD8544.o PCF8814.o SH1106.o SSD1306.o ST7036.o ST7565R.o ST7735.o Semi_ST7735.o ST7920.o STE2007.o VT100.o RD_Display.o wait.o   -o ComponentTester
avr-objcopy -O ihex -R .eeprom -R .fuse -R .lock -R .signature ComponentTester ComponentTester.hex
avr-objcopy -j .eeprom --set-section-flags=.eeprom="alloc,load" --change-section-lma .eeprom=0 --no-change-warnings -O ihex ComponentTester ComponentTester.eep || exit 0
AllocationBase 0x0, BaseAddress 0x71540000, RegionSize 0x360000, State 0x10000
C:\WinAVR-20100110\utils\bin\sh.exe: *** Couldn't reserve space for cygwin's heap, Win32 error 0
make.exe: [ComponentTester.eep] Error 1 (ignored)
avr-objdump -h -S ComponentTester > ComponentTester.lss
AllocationBase 0x0, BaseAddress 0x71540000, RegionSize 0x360000, State 0x10000
C:\WinAVR-20100110\utils\bin\sh.exe: *** Couldn't reserve space for cygwin's heap, Win32 error 0
make.exe: *** [ComponentTester.lss] Error 1

> Process Exit Code: 2
> Time Taken: 00:07

Is there an alternative to WinAVR on Windows to be able to compile it without having to do a very complicated process of installations, or difficult programs to handle for those of us who are not programmers, etc? (The WinAVR was very good at this, but on my current computers it doesn't work, with the ones I had years ago it did work well.)

Thank you

[madires]

This might help: Fix the very old msys or cygwin under win10 - https://lygstate.github.io/tornado/gcc/msys/cygwin/2018/04/14/Fix-the-very-old-msys-or-cygwin-under-win10.html

[Dumidan]

Hello everyone!

I'm back here after an absence due to some personal events. I apologize for the absence and for the lack of maintenance of the translation of the menus into Romanian.

I am attaching the updated translations for the versions from 1.50m to 1.56m.

@madires: please, if it's not too much trouble, insert them in their proper places in the appropriate archives. Thanks in advance!

[avr]

This might help: Fix the very old msys or cygwin under win10 - https://lygstate.github.io/tornado/gcc/msys/cygwin/2018/04/14/Fix-the-very-old-msys-or-cygwin-under-win10.html

Thanks for the answer. I will try with that.

[avr]

Hi

I have solved all the problems using the file: msys-1.0-vista64.zip provided in this webpage:  https://www.madwizard.org/electronics/articles/winavrvista

Now I can compile the firmwares with my PC (Windows 10).

[avr]

Hello

I have a transistor tester with a 328p and a 16x02 display. I have compiled the 1.55m firmware and I have uploaded it to the device.

It works well testing components, but I can't do the calibration and the autotest. When I access the calibration in the menu, the device asks for shorting the test points, when I do this the tester doesn't do any change. It remains without changes. If I rotate the encoder the tester shows an "error" message.

Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks

[madires]

The tester doesn't detect the shorted probes. Could be a connection/contact issue.